New baby TB vaccination

[ladybirdees]

My baby is 3 weeks old. They are offering TB vaccinations to all newborns in my area. I'm pro vaccine normally but remembering the pain of the TB jab at secondary school I'm reluctant to put my tiny baby through this. Anyone have any experiences good or bad with this to help me make a decision?

I had this vaccination (and chest X-rays) when older because a classmate had tb. None of us were vaccinated before they had symptoms. They were very ill. You have been offered it because your area is a higher risk?

It's less painful than TB

I have 3 dc and they were born in UK but we lived in Central Asia, where TB is rife.
They all had it. They really didn't notice/fuss any more than any other vaccine.
The vaccination site though can be a bit nasty, comes up as a lump, can be pusy etc.

I would make the decision based on where you live and your family.
eg, are you likely to travel to area of high TB? (most of Asia)
Do you live in an area of high TB, eg Tower Hamlets, Newham and others.

Talk to your nurse/doctor about why they offer it in your area, and how important they think it is for your lifestyle.

I'm south west London, Richmond. We're not likely to be doing Central Asia travel. I have 3dc, with the first 2 it wasn't offered so I'm guessing there is an increased risk now.

I think I am worried about the site of injection being painful and risk of infection. I realise the benefit of vaccination should we come into contact with TB outweighs this but for us I'm not sure how 'at risk' we actually are. I might call the health visitor in the morning and see what they say. I don't want to put my baby at risk but equally don't want to needlessly put him through pain/discomfort.

The vaccination site looks.worse than it is. Mine have had it as have all babies in our extended family and the wound looks horrendous but generally the babies themselves weren't bothered at all.

My ds had his as a new born. He cried when the needle went it and then was fine afterwards. It scabbed over and he didn't really notice it. That was very similar to all his injections though x

I'm very pro vaccine but I think the obsession with giving very young babies the BCG is a bit much.

It's not so much to protect that particular child but to protect the general population.
Unless you're in a high risk TB area I'd say wait till your DC is older.

Both my DC had the TB vaccine as newborns as my husband was born in Iran and still has family in the Middle East. Both times were completely fine. No sore arm, no grouchy baby, no scar. I had it at school and remember it being bad and still have the scar, but we are taking over 20 years ago... much better now. Don't worry about it.

Babies are the group for which there is most sense in giving BCG. It's not a great vaccine, and a fair few people still catch TB despite being vaccinated, but it's pretty damn good at preventing miliary TB, which is the particularly nasty version of TB that babies tend to develop.

Clearly, that only applies if exposure is plausible.

I'm very pro vaccine but I think the obsession with giving very young babies the BCG is a bit much.
It's not so much to protect that particular child but to protect the general population.

This is completely false.

1. Children under 10 years old with TB very rarely infect anyone else.

2. Babies and young children are at greater risk of developing life-threatening forms of TB (TB meningitis or disseminated TB) than older children and adults.

3. The vaccine is more effective in protecting against these manifestations of TB than it is against pulmonary TB, which adults are more likely to get.

The purpose for giving it is entirely to protect the baby, not the wider population.

My mum didn't want me to have a scar so she opted out of me getting the TB vaccine but didn't tell me (I assumed I was fully vaccinated)
As an adult I got TB, luckily caught very early, the treatment was vile 6mths of particularly nasty antibiotics that made me feel sick - I wish I'd just had the scar.